


Algae Grows in Strange Places

by TheSeafoodMafioso



Series: Goldfish can't live in Hot Water [2]
Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: But first Jade being sus, Falling In Love, M/M, Side Story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:41:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26302093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSeafoodMafioso/pseuds/TheSeafoodMafioso
Summary: “Well?” He said at last, breaking the unhelpful silence that felt almost excruciating at this point. He’d been ushered into another room, invited to sit down, offered tea-- very politely, mind you, despite the aforementioned treatment bringing no him to closer to what he was really after. He’d been lured away with the promise of an explanation, but Trey understood that prying any sort of reliable information from Jade Leech’s perpetually smiling lips was going to be an entire ordeal of its own.“Are you sure you don’t want any tea?” Jade asked, almost innocently.“What I want, Jade, is for somebody to help me understand what’s going on.” His exasperation was obvious.“I want an explanation as to how in the world your brother caused the Heartslabyul Dorm Head to turn into a goldfish.”
Relationships: Trey Clover/Jade Leech
Series: Goldfish can't live in Hot Water [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1911010
Comments: 10
Kudos: 92





	1. Predators have Sharp Teeth for a Reason

**Author's Note:**

> I had originally intended to write this when I finished ‘Goldfish can’t live in hot water’, but I’ve been busy since coming out of quarantine and getting back to my regular schedule. Ridiculously busy. My original goal of a chapter a week was a gross overestimation of my abilities, as I now belatedly realize. I needed to write something a little shorter and more focused, just to get my writing muscles warmed up as I start (slowly) working on chapter 6. So, here’s this little side story that fills in some of the events that take place between Trey and Jade. 
> 
> This is an accompaniment to ‘Goldfish’, so my updates on this likely won’t be as frequent or as long, but will progress alongside the main story. You can still read this if you haven’t read ‘Goldfish’, but you will be missing some context. This first chapter takes place in chapter three, when Trey and Jade go off for a bit to talk. 
> 
> Was this just an excuse to write my second favorite pairing? Perhaps. Don’t at me.

If there was one thing that Trey Clover had managed to do in his three years at Night Raven College, it was keep his nose clean and stay out of trouble. Granted, it hadn’t always been smooth sailing; becoming the Vice Dorm Head to his childhood friend was the one great blotch upon his student life. In hindsight, considering the slow buildup of tyranny on Riddle’s part, the resulting emotional explosion would have been inevitable, even if a certain first year foursome hadn’t gotten involved. But besides that, Trey’s time at school had been extremely ordinary. In a college chock full of colourful characters, Trey was exceedingly ordinary by comparison. 

Which was why he was still struggling to wrap his head around how on earth he’d gotten involved in this mess. 

Arms crossed with one finger tapping with absent-minded impatience against his bicep, Trey was well aware that he seemed uncharacteristically agitated. Because, well, he was, and staring down the partial source of his agitation was doing little to help lighten the mood. 

“Well?” He said at last, breaking the unhelpful silence that felt almost excruciating at this point. He’d been ushered into another room, invited to sit down, offered tea-- very politely, mind you, despite the aforementioned treatment bringing no him to closer to what he was really after. He’d been lured away with the promise of an explanation, but Trey understood that prying any sort of reliable information from Jade Leech’s perpetually smiling lips was going to be an entire ordeal of its own.

“Are you sure you don’t want any tea?” Jade asked, almost innocently.

“What I want, Jade, is for somebody to help me understand what’s going on.” His exasperation was obvious. Trey had already had two heart attacks in the past twenty-four hour; one when he discovered that Riddle had been sneaking out of the dorms and lying about his whereabouts, and another when he’d found out why. “I want an explanation as to how in the world your brother caused the Heartslabyul Dorm Head to turn into a goldfish.”

Saying it didn’t make it feel any less surreal. If anything, hearing his own voice only seemed to make him more aware of just how absurd the whole thing sounded. And yet, that was exactly the reality of the situation. He hadn’t witnessed the transformation himself, but Trey knew Riddle would never make up something so utterly ridiculous. The only reason Riddle would ever distract from his full schedule of enforcing the rules, was if he had absolutely no choice. It had taken no less than a heartbeat for Trey to believe Riddle’s story, and even less than that for him to get upset on the second year’s behalf. 

Had anyone else been the cause of this, Trey might have believed that it was truly an accident But the instant he’d learnt that Octavinelle was involved, all benefit of the doubt flew straight out the window. Watching Jade’s inscrutable expression hold firm even under the intensity of his stare only served to reinforce his suspicions. There was absolutely nothing genuine about the upward turn of Jade’s mouth, or the way his plastered on smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. The only people who camouflaged their emotions so carefully were the ones who had something to hide.

“Well, that’s one way to surmise what happened.” Jade chuckled, hands neatly folded in his lap. Once upon a time, Trey had thought of Jade as another struggling Vice-dorm head, overworked by Azul and taken advantage of by Floyd. That misconception had come to a swift end when Riddle had told him to look closer, or get a new pair of glasses. Riddle had been right of course; Jade was anything but a victim. It was almost terrifying how subtly the merman was able to manipulate those around him if they weren’t careful, his own initial blindness to Jade’s true nature being case in point. Past Trey had been taken in by a pretty face and a charming facade. Current Trey knew better than to make the same mistake. 

“I assume Riddle’s already filled you in on the details?”

“More or less.” Trey confirmed. It hadn’t yet been twenty-four hours since he’d persuaded Riddle to confide in him. Marching down to Octavinelle, to get some answers out of Azul, had been the first thing on Trey’s agenda that morning, an agenda that had come to a temporary halt thanks to the other half of the Leech twins. Trey was still reeling from his new nickname of Algae, dubbed with every ounce of spite Floyd seemed to be able to muster. What he’d done to incur the eel’s wrath, besides existing, was beyond him. “What I want to know is, how you expect me to believe that this was really an accident. So, Floyd just so happens to feed Riddle something that turns him into the very creature your brother happens to nickname him after?”

“Well, if you put it that way, I admit it does sound rather suspicious.” Was it just him, or did he detect a hit of amusement in Jade’s voice? It was hardly noticeable, given the second year’s straight face, but he could have sworn that the other was enjoying himself very much, entirely at Trey’s expense. “But I can assure you, none of us had the slightest inkling of what the coral was capable of.”

“Really?” Trey raised an eyebrow. “Three mermen had no idea that this coral might potentially be dangerous?”

“Being mermen does not presuppose us knowing all the coral in the sea.” This time, he knew Jade was laughing at him, a subtle smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Surely as a member of the Science club, you know better than to make such sweeping assumptions.”

Fair point, though Trey’s arms remained crossed. “And this isn’t some convoluted way to entrap Riddle in one of Azul’s ‘deals’?”

“There are easier ways to go about that.” The ominous tone and the faint chuckle, accompanied by a flash of sharp teeth made Trey want to ask what the hell Jade meant by that, while also not wanting to know at all. What had seemed like an unassuming smile only a moment ago, now looked almost predatory as he felt tingles run up his spine. He felt very much like a creature that had wandered too far out of its depth, into the open jaws of a waiting predator that was now toying with him, taking its time to savour the moment before it finally swallowed him whole. But as unnerving as it all was, a different emotion began to emerge just as strong. 

“Jade, why don’t you cut the crap?”

Jade’s surprise mirrored his own, as Trey mentally balked at his uncharacteristic bluntness. He usually had far more patience than this. Perhaps it was because Riddle was involved that he could feel his reason so quickly wearing thin. His childhood friend was still struggling to find his footing in the aftermath of his overblot; Trey knew just how much of a conscious effort Riddle was putting into improving himself and learning from his mistakes. For the first time since they’d been children, Trey was watching Riddle grow in a way that was finally good and healthy for him. The thought that someone else’s selfish schemes might put a wrench in his progress was nothing short of infuriating.

Trey kept his gaze trained on Jade’s mismatched eyes, momentarily blown wide in shock. It was the first semblance of genuine emotion that he had managed to drag out of the eel yet. The look only lasted a second though, before surprise was replaced with a full-fledged, shark-toothed grin. 

“My, my. That gave me quite a shock.” Jade laughed, once again annoying Trey with how quickly he seemed to slip back into his calm facade. “So even someone as mild as you can get angry?”

“What’s your game, Jade?” He demanded. “What’re the three of you up to?”

“I hate to disappoint, but there really is no grand conspiracy at play here.” Jade insisted shaking his head, holding his hands out, palms up, as if to suggest he had nothing to hide. “It’s just as Riddle said. The coral came as part of a package from Azul’s parents. Floyd saw that it resembled a goldfish and gave it to Riddle on a whim. To the best of our knowledge, it was nothing more than a harmless underwater delicacy. As we know now, that wasn’t quite the case. If anything, I’m quite surprised that Riddle would eat something of unknown origin so carelessly—”

“You’re not going to suggest this is Riddle’s fault, are you?” Trey interjected testily. 

“Of course not. I’m merely suggesting that if we’re assigning blame, there’s plenty of blame to share.” Jade pointed out innocently. “I assure you, we have nothing to gain if anything happens to Riddle, especially now that you’ve been made aware of the situation. It would be awfully careless of us to try anything untoward.” 

Trey didn’t appreciate the suggestion that the trio could get away with anything untoward if they wanted to. But glowering at Jade wasn’t going to earn him any more answers, he realised as a long moment of silence between them dragged on without end. While he didn’t necessarily believe Jade’s reassurances, he wasn’t getting anywhere simply pressing him on the matter. Maybe Jade was being honest when he said that it was all just a big mistake. Or maybe, and more likely, he wasn’t. In the end, Trey was going to have to look for answers in other ways. 

“Alright.” He sighed finally, leaning back in his seat, the short exchange having left him strangely exhausted. “Let’s say I believe you. Now that Azul’s working on a cure, the best thing to do is for us to go about as normal until he figures it out. I can look out for Riddle most of the time and you can do the same in class. Between the two of us, we can make sure that no other mishaps happen. And in time meantime, it would be best if you make sure Floyd keeps his distance and doesn’t cause anymore trouble.”

“Ah...I’m afraid I cannot agree to that.”

Now that caught Trey off-guard. Jade has been remarkably amiable up to this point, if just the slightest bit suspicious. But Trey hadn’t been expecting a straight up rejection of what he’d considered to be a rather reasonable request.

“Excuse me?” 

“You’re right. That would be the best course of action.” Jade replied, quite agreeably. “However, that is not a course of action I’m willing to take.”

“...So what was that about not having any ulterior motives?” 

“Please, it’s nothing quite so sinister. I have no particular interest in Riddle. Floyd, on the other hand, does.” Of course. Of course, he should have known. As much as Jade’s reputation as the saner twin preceded him, the Leech brothers still came as a set. The fact that Jade’s intentions overlapped with Floyd’s didn’t surprise him in the slightest. “Be it a fleeting fancy, or something deeper, I do not know. Regardless, Floyd sees this as a rare opportunity. After all, it’s not everyday he has a legitimate reason to spend time with Riddle? What sort of brother would I be if I didn’t lend him my utmost support?”

“Even if it comes at Riddle’s expense.” Trey added, making no attempt to make that statement sound any less accusatory. Jade’s sickeningly sweet smile didn’t so much as waver.

“As I said before, I have no particular interest in Riddle.”

In other words, Jade didn’t care about what happened to Riddle so long as his brother was satisfied. Riddle could become Floyd’s chew toy, and Jade would be content to stand by and watch him get ripped to shreds. Trey read that part loud and clear. 

A part of him wondered why Jade was bothering to tell him any of this. It would have been so much easier if the eel had simply lied and pretended to go along with his plan, all the while silently fulfilling his own agenda. He felt goosebumps begin to crawl across his skin as he finally noticed that Jade’s heterochromatic eyes were locked on to him, not blinking. 

In the jaws of a predator, he thought to himself again, resisting the urge to swallow. 

But, if Jade Leech thought that he was going to stand by and watch his childhood friend get turned into fish food for their amusement, then he had another think coming. 

“I see.” He responded, with a calm assertiveness he did not truly feel. “If that’s the case then, I’m sorry, but I can’t allow you to do as you please. I’ll admit we still need Azul’s help with the cure, but beyond that, there’s no need to keep in contact any more than necessary. As Riddle’s second-in-command, I intend to make sure that for his own safety, he stays as far away from the three of you as humanly possible.”

“Oh dear.” Jade said in dismay, as if Trey’s declaration was as much of a minor inconvenience to him as running out of eggs while baking a cake. “Must you?”

“Unfortunately.”

Trey wished he had even an inkling of what the other was thinking. Was it just him, or had he noticed a spark of anticipation in Jade’s eyes? Was he imagining the way the second year’s breath seemed to barely noticeably hitch, almost with excitement? How was it that despite standing his ground, Trey felt as if he’d played right into the twins’ hands? 

“Well then, I understand.” Jade grinned back, teeth gleaming like knives. “Best of luck to us both.”


	2. A Symbiotic Relationship will Suffice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trey Clover initially had every intention of steering himself and Riddle clear of the shady Leech twins and their equally shifty boss. Keeping Riddle’s secret under wraps was a job that he could manage on his own, without the interference of the Octavinelle trio, considering how much more time he and his Dorm Head actually spent together. Of course, complete avoidance was impossible; Riddle and Jade were in the same class after all. Still the third year kept a watchful eye, and with no looming sea creatures trying to torment his childhood friend, it seemed as if things were going relatively well in the meantime.
> 
> He could not have expected to go back on his resolve only several hours later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day, wow what has the world come to.
> 
> This chapter is a bit more of a bridge between events rather than bringing too much new information to the table. However, I had to get this out of the way before I started writing the next chapter, which I am a little more excited about.
> 
> Enjoy the update.

Trey Clover initially had every intention of steering himself and Riddle clear of the shady Leech twins and their equally shifty boss. Keeping Riddle’s secret under wraps was a job that he could manage on his own, without the interference of the Octavinelle trio, considering how much more time he and his Dorm Head actually spent together. Of course, complete avoidance was impossible; Riddle and Jade were in the same class after all. Still the third year kept a watchful eye, and with no looming sea creatures trying to torment his childhood friend, it seemed as if things were going relatively well in the meantime.

He could not have expected to go back on his resolve only several hours later. 

His paranoia had struck the moment he noticed Riddle hadn’t shown up to oversee the flamingo feeding. The Dorm Head and Vice Dorm Head took turns on this particular duty, and it was only when one of the first years rostered for that day had come to inform him of the situation, that Trey had realized something was amiss. With no messages from Riddle to inform him that some other duty or complication had arisen, Trey couldn’t help but worry, considering Riddle’s new and...unique condition.

By the time an hour had passed, the third year had been reduced to a silently simmering, nervous wreck. Blowing up Riddle’s phone had earned him no response, and as dinnertime approached there was still absolutely no sign of the redhead. His options limited, Trey could only think of one other group of people that might have any idea of where his childhood friend might be. Swallowing his misgivings for the sake of his sanity, Trey picked up his phone and reluctantly called a certain twin eel’s number.

“Hello, Trey?”

“Jade?” The second year sounded slightly surprised to hear his voice. Considering the way their last interaction had concluded, he suspected Jade hadn’t thought they would be speaking again for a long while. “Sorry to bother you, but I don’t suppose you’ve seen Riddle recently, have you?”

“Yes...no, I haven’t seen him since classes ended.” Jade replied slowly, as if wondering about this line of questioning. 

“Well, what about Floyd?” He pressed, still holding on to a semblance of hope that one of the two knew where Riddle was.

“Floyd? Well, he’s here, but--” 

“May I speak to him?”

“Yes, one moment.” There was a brief moment of silence and shuffling. When Jade’s voice came through the phone again, it sounded distinctly more distant. Trey recognized that he had put them on speaker. “As you were saying?”

‘Ah....yeah, uh...Floyd?” He started awkwardly, trying to brush past the fact that this was the twin who, for some reason, really didn’t like him. “This is Trey. I just asked Jade the same thing but, have you seen Riddle recently?”

“Don’t know~” Came the most disinterested, unhelpful reply that had Trey nearly choking in disbelief. 

“Don’t--?” Irritation surged at Floyd’s dismissive reply. It was wholly out of character for Riddle to drop off the face of the earth like this. For all Trey knew, Riddle could be in all kinds of trouble and physically unable to ask for help. And here he was, wasting time trying to wrest answers from an uncooperative fish. “That’s...Is that a yes or a no?”

“Floyd’s been in his room all day skipping classes, so that’s quite impossible.” Jade interjected, seemingly sensing Trey’s distress. Though the response was definitive, it didn’t soothe Trey’s worries in the slightest. If Riddle hadn’t been seen by the twins, then where else could he be? With Riddle’s current condition, who else could he ask? Again, Jade seemed to read into his silent panic. “Is there a reason you thought he’d be with us?”

“No... I didn’t actually I just...” He didn’t trust the twins in the slightest, but Trey had no choice but to rely on them in this case. Besides the Octavinelle trio, no one else knew of Riddle’s mishap. No one else was supposed to know; that was the deal. His hands were tied. Whether or not he wanted Floyd and Jade’s assistance, their assistance was all he had. “He was supposed to be here overseeing dorm duties. He hardly ever misses something like that. I’ve called his phone a few times but he isn’t responding, so I wondered if perhaps something had happened.”

Whether Jade understood the gravity of the situation in Trey’s mind, it was hard to tell. The second year maintained an air of calm and collectedness throughout the conversation, though he proved fairly willing to be helpful. Floyd on the other hand, had gone from bored to snappy in the blink of an eye, clearly in the midst of one of his infamous moods. Trey ignored him completely; he didn’t have time for any of that. Not when Riddle was still missing.

The time between his phone call to Jade and dinner seemed to take an age, as Trey searched high and low with no sign of red hair to be found anywhere. He shoved his panic down, feigning casual cheer as he tried asking around the dorm. Cater, Ace, Deuce, even Grimm and the Ramsackle Dorm’s Prefect, all had no answers to give, and neither did anyone else. When at last he found an equally clueless Octavinelle trio in the dining hall, Trey was moments away from falling apart at the seams. 

“Then, I have no idea where he’s gone.” The third year all but exploded in a fit of panic. “I’ve asked everyone I could think to ask and no one knows where he is.”

Surprisingly, it was Jade who made the effort to calm him down, Jade who asked the all the right questions and came up with a plan of action. It was Jade who coaxed a reluctant Floyd into pulling his own weight. Trey should have felt relief, but any semblance of gratitude was overshadowed by the lingering distrust he still felt towards the merman. Trey still remembered that gleaming grin, that ominous refusal to promise he wouldn’t interfere with Riddle’s well-being. The thought remained in his mind even as the two ran into each other several minutes into their search.

“Anything?” Jade asked, as Trey shook his head. A pensieve hum from the second year had him watching the merman’s expression closely as if searching for a slip. Jade always wore an impeccable mask; who was to say that this veneer of helpfulness wasn’t just that? Perhaps it was all an act to keep him from realizing that the trio themselves were behind Riddle’s disappearance. Perhaps Jade already had him hooked and was reeling him in like a helpless piece of tuna, with no idea how close he was to being devoured.

“Is there something on my face?” Jade asked suddenly, as Trey realized he’d been staring at the second year with narrowed eyes for far too long. To his credit, Trey didn’t flinch and he didn’t ease his expression.

“You’re awfully calm despite all this.” He pointed out, his tone bordering on accusatory as Jade raised an eyebrow. “Considering the risk Riddle’s condition being exposed poses to your dorn, I thought you might seem a little more worried. Unless, you already know where he is.”

“Really?” Realization dawned on Jade’s features alongside a soft scoff. “And what exactly do we gain from taking your precious Dorm Head hostage and then pretending to help you look for him? Doesn't it sound like far too much elaborate planning for no reason in particular?”

“Perhaps not you, but you admitted Floyd’s interest in Riddle, and you also admitted you weren’t going to stop him.” Trey shot back. “What were your exact words again? ‘What sort of brother would I be if I didn’t lend him my utmost support?’ And he doesn't seem all that interested in helping with the search party either.”

“Well, if that’s the conclusion you’ve drawn then I can hardly convince you otherwise, can I?” Jade retorted, sound just a tiny bit annoyed, and Trey relished the fact that his accusations had managed to put a dent in Jade’s impeccable mask. “But I can assure you, I have nothing to do with this, and neither do Floyd and Azul.”

“If anything happens to Riddle--”

“You won’t be the only one to reckon with.” Jade finished calmly. “Save your accusations for later. If anything does happen, I will gladly take an earful afterwards. But every moment we waste now is another moment of potential peril for Riddle.”

Before Trey could chew him out for daring to pretend as if he was actually acting for Riddle’s benefit, the loud ring of Jade’s phone broke the tension. Trey’s expression flickered from anger to anxiety as the merman answered the call, hoping and praying that it would bring some semblance of good news. 

“Floyd. You found what?”

\-----

“He won’t say anything.” Floyd’s complaints went over his head as Trey couldn’t help but be dumbfounded over this turn in events. He had more or less figured out the timeline of events at this point, the Heartslabyul second year’s facing striking a chord of recognition with him. He held out a hand to prevent the twins from proceeding any further, extinguishing the embers of vitriol that burned in his own chest. Anger wasn’t going to help Riddle at this point. Exerting his authority as Vice Dorm Head however, worked nicely, as the truth quickly spilled from the terrified students lips.

“I-I’m sorry! I was just so upset at the Dorm Head, I don’t know what I was thinking! I shouldn’t have pushed him into the pool!!”

The realization struck all four of them like thunder, and Trey felt his thoughts slow to a horrifying crawl. 

The pool. According to Jade, their last lesson had been at the pool. Had Riddle been trapped in the water since then? It had literally been hours. What happened if Riddle couldn’t turn back? Azul’s words sounded hollow in his ears, as if he’d been submerged in the very water Riddle was no doubt floating helplessly in--

“Floyd?!”

Floyd Leech was running, skidding haphazardly down the bannisters and racing out of sight. It was only after he’d already disappeared that Trey registered the fact that he should be running to.

“Wait.” Jade caught him by the shoulder as he spun around in a panic. “Brooms. It’ll be faster.”

There was no time to argue. Trey nodded mutely as the two conjured forth a pair of broomsticks, swiftly mounting them as Azul hung back, holding their unfortunate perpetrator firmly by the collar. 

“Go. I’ll prepare for your return.”

Trey kicked off the ground in a hurry, looking back only when he noticed Jade’s slight hesitation as he hovered uncertainly above the ground. “Jade, let’s go!”

At Trey’s insistence, the eel steeled his expression and soared up to join him, the two shooting across the school grounds towards the pool complex. Floyd was remarkably nowhere to be found. He couldn’t have had more than a minute’s head start, and yet he seemed to have covered an olympic distance in that short span of time. The icy wreckage that glimmered at the entrance of the pool complex was proof that he’d gotten there before them. Trey landed in a rush, all but chucking his brook to the ground and rushing through the broken doors and flicking on the lights. The inky darkness lit up, light bouncing off the surface of rocking waters to reveal an exhausted looking Floyd, half submerged in the water in his merman form. He leaned against the edge of the pool, just over the unconscious form of a familiar redhead, all bundled up in a fluffy towel.

“Found him~” came the tired declaration of victory, and Trey finally felt his drumming heart quell in his chest. Riddle was pale, exhausted and unconscious, but from the lazy half-smile on Floyd’s face, it seemed as if he was alright. 

And that was all that Trey could ask for. 

\-----

“Well…I believe you.” Trey sighed as he leaned against the wall right outside of Riddle’s dorm room. The reason he was outside and not watching over Riddle just then stood right beside him, having ushered the Vice Dorm Head out of the room to give Riddle and his twin some time alone. Ordinarily, Trey wouldn’t have allowed Floyd anywhere near Riddle by himself, but the circumstances of tonight were grounds from some leniency. 

“Oh? About what, exactly?” Jade asked, tilting his head to look at the third year with slight curiosity, a small smile playing on his lips. It seemed that the results of tonight had left both twins in a relatively good mood, despite how discordantly the evening had started. 

“I mean,” Trey looked away as he cleared his throat, some reluctance seeping into his admission. “I believe that the three of you probably didn’t set all this on purpose--”

“Well, that much was obvious.”

“--and that Floyd...doesn't hold any ill intentions towards Riddle.”

“See? I told you it wasn’t anything quite so sinister.” Jade’s smile bordered on a smirk, though he kept his smugness in check. “But all’s well that ends well. Riddle appears to be fine and my brother’s mood seems to have improved drastically. Things seem to have fallen into place in the most favourable outcome.”

“I thought you didn’t care about Riddle.” Trey couldn’t help but prod in the face of the eel’s satisfied expression.

“I don’t.” Jade affirmed with brutal honesty. “But Floyd does.”

It was the second time he’d heard that assertion, but it was only now that Trey understood what it really meant. It wasn’t that Jade intended for anything to happen at Riddle’s expense. Rather, it was simply that Jade, like any doting siblings, wanted his brother to be happy. Floyd very clearly had an attachment to Riddle, the extent of which Trey couldn’t yet guess. If what Jade had told him was true, and Floyd really did just see this whole situation as an excuse to spend more time with someone he liked, then...well...he could see why he had been so quick to turn down Trey’s original plan to keep them apart. He was an older brother too. The feeling of wanting to do anything for your siblings? Trey could relate. Maybe he was even willing to make a few concessions to that end. 

“I’d say sorry for being so accusatory, but you did deserve it.” After all, it was Jade’s own fault for being so shady. He still didn’t trust that shark-toothed smile. Jade may have helped him today, but that was only because their interests were aligned. There was still no telling if their temporarily symbiotic relationship would continue in the future. “Regardless, it seems that I at least owe you my thanks. And Floyd too.”

“I believe the greatest thanks you can give him is to leave him alone.” Jade suggested with a smirk. “He still doesn't like you very much.”

“Really?” The third year scoffed. “I couldn’t tell.”

Jade actually let out a chuckle at that. “Speaking of wrapping things up, are you sure you don’t need help dealing with the perpetrator?” The eel offered innocently. “There’s a new tank at Octavinelle that could use some--”

“No, no, no thank you.” Trey shook his head quickly and firmly before Jade could add anything to make the suggestion more disturbing. “Heartslabyul has its own rules when it comes to disciplining our students, and to my knowledge none of them involve fish tanks.”

“Pity” Jade lamented, though the tips of shark-like teeth peeked past downturned lips as he suppressed his amused smile. 

Perhaps it was a willful misconception on Trey’s part, borne out of tonight’s goodwill, but the gleam of those pointed teeth no longer seemed quite so threatening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will potentially be from Jade's POV and will pick up directly after Chapter 7 of the main story. 
> 
> Thank you for reading as always. I'll see you next update.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading. Hopefully it won't be too long before my next update.


End file.
